Friday, March 30, 2012

Affluence vs Poverty

















I was reading an article
about the miracles of poverty
how life is dependent on charitable
offerings whether it is from the state coffers,
collected from taxpayers,
or percentages of collections
gathered in churches.

The poor depend on miracles
and the generosity of strangers -
bighearted gifts of time, services and cash -
to give them life for another while.

Affluence, on the other hand
can get by on its own
autonomy, independence, self sufficiency
synonyms that say,
“I can do it by myself.”

The “haves’” are expected to share
with the “have nots,”
the “can do,” to reach out to the “can’t” or “won’t,”
the healthy must administer to the sick,
all religions and social systems seem to suggest as much.

Selfishness is seen as undesirable
while kindness and good works are celebrated.

My dad used to play the lottery
and when asked what he would do if he won
he answered, “I will give all the money to the poor…
poor me.”

He always got a laugh

but the truth is, he would probably
give most of it away, because he didn’t attach

to material things
and he was generous to a fault

counted on by others to get the job done
seem to be abundant even when he had so little
because he believed in miracles.

He had experienced the bounty
of his heavenly father
taking each day as it came
never losing hope or trust
in the blessings from above
seeing god’s work in
everyone around him.

Some of his more affluent friends,
in contrast, were bitter and cold

cynical about the blessing god could bestow,
wondering why so much of His work was left undone,
didn’t like the constant tug of beggars on their sleeves,
another person wanting to get something for nothing.

The class battles have gone on since Eden
one son killing his brother,
the bastard son being exiled

blessings for some but not for everyone.

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